Carmen Aguirre Live Chat: Watch the replay

Thursday, January 12, 2012 |

Image: Tanja-Tiziana Burdi/CBC

Born in Chile, Carmen Aguirre came to Canada as a young child in the wake of the 1973 coup, led by General Augusto Pinochet, which overthrew the democratically elected government of President Salvador Allende. Her family was among the thousands of Chilean refugees who fled the military dictatorship. Just six years later, when Carmen was 11, her mother moved her and her sister back to South America and joined the underground movement opposing the regime. Growing up in an atmosphere of constant danger was traumatic, but Carmen rose to the challenge and eventually joined the resistance herself. She worked with the movement until it dissolved when she was 21.

Something Fierce will be defended by musician Shad in the Canada Reads 2012 debates. The debates will air at 11 a.m. (11:30 a.m. in Nfld.) on CBC Radio One and will be livestreamed on CBC Books at 10 a.m. ET on February 6,7, 8 and 9.